बुआ (buaa)
noun
A single kinship term: father's sister (paternal aunt). Also used as a respectful/affectionate address to older women of that relation, and by extension informally to family friends of that generation.
Sense
1
:
father's sister (aunt)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: फूफी (phoophii, regional variant), पितृ-भगिनी (pitri-bhaginii, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In most North Indian families, बुआ (buaa) holds a special affectionate status -- she's often the one who spoils her brother's kids the most, and there's a well-known cultural sweetness to the बुआ-भतीजा/भतीजी (buaa-bhatiijaa/bhatiijii) bond, especially around festivals and weddings where बुआ (buaa) plays a ritual role (like in Punjabi and North Indian wedding customs). Children usually call her directly बुआ (buaa) rather than using her name, just as they would with चाची (chaachii) or मामी (maamii).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use बुआ (buaa) for any aunt, but Hindi distinguishes kin by side and type: मामी (maamii) is maternal uncle's wife, चाची (chaachii) is paternal uncle's (father's younger brother's) wife, and मौसी (mausii) is mother's sister. बुआ (buaa) is specifically father's sister -- getting the side wrong is a very common slip. 2) The husband of बुआ (buaa) is called फूफा (phoophaa), not मौसा (mausaa) or मामा (maamaa), which learners sometimes mix up.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी बुआ दिल्ली में रहती हैं।
My paternal aunt lives in Delhi.
(merii buaa dillii men rahtii hain।)
बुआ हमेशा मुझे सबसे ज़्यादा लाड़ प्यार करती हैं।
My paternal aunt always spoils me the most with love.
(buaa hameshaa mujhe sabse zyaadaa laad pyaar kartii hain।)
पिछली दिवाली पर बुआ हमारे घर आई थीं।
Last Diwali, my paternal aunt came to our house.
(pichhlii divaalii par buaa hamaare ghar aaii thiin।)
शादी में बुआ ने रस्म निभाई।
At the wedding, my paternal aunt performed the ritual.
(shaadii men buaa ne rasm nibhaaii।)
बुआ, आप कब आ रही हैं?
Aunt, when are you coming?
(buaa, aap kab aa rahii hain?)
बुआ, ज़रा मेरी मदद कर दीजिए।
Aunt, please help me a little.
(buaa, zaraa merii madad kar diijie।)
अगर बुआ आतीं तो घर में रौनक हो जाती।
If my paternal aunt had come, the house would have felt lively.
(agar buaa aatiin to ghar men raunak ho jaatii।)
मुझे उम्मीद है कि बुआ इस बार छुट्टियों में आएँ।
I hope my paternal aunt comes this vacation.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki buaa is baar chhuttiyon men aaen।)
बुआ ने भतीजी के लिए खुद कपड़े सिले हैं।
My paternal aunt has stitched clothes herself for her niece.
(buaa ne bhatiijii ke lie khud kapde sile hain।)
भतीजे और बुआ का रिश्ता बहुत खास होता है।
The bond between a nephew and his paternal aunt is very special.
(bhatiije aur buaa kaa rishtaa bahut khaas hotaa hai।)
बुआ के घर हर गर्मी की छुट्टी में जाया जाता था।
We used to go to my paternal aunt's house every summer vacation.
(buaa ke ghar har garmii kii chhuttii men jaayaa jaataa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
respectful/affectionate term for an older woman of one's father's generation, not a blood relative
noun, feminine Used as a polite address or reference term, extending the kinship word to family friends or neighbors of the appropriate generation, similar to how चाची (chaachii) or मामी (maamii) get extended.
Synonyms: आंटी (aantii, informal, not kin-specific)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This extension of kinship terms to non-relatives is very typical in Hindi -- calling a family friend बुआ (buaa) instead of by name signals warmth and respect, and situates her socially as being 'like family' on the father's side, rather than the mother's side (which would call for मौसी (mausii) instead).
Sample Sentences:
पड़ोस वाली बुआ हमेशा हमारे लिए मिठाई लाती हैं।
The auntie from next door always brings sweets for us.
(pados vaalii buaa hameshaa hamaare lie mithaaii laatii hain।)
मम्मी की सहेली को हम बचपन से बुआ बुलाते आए हैं।
We've been calling mom's friend 'auntie' since childhood.
(mammii kii sahelii ko ham bachpan se buaa bulaate aae hain।)
बुआ, आप कब आ रही हैं हमारे घर?
Auntie, when are you coming to our house?
(buaa, aap kab aa rahii hain hamaare ghar?)
बुआ जी, कृपया अंदर आइए, बैठिए।
Auntie ji, please come in and sit down.
(buaa jii, kripyaa andar aaie, baithie।)
पापा के दोस्त की पत्नी को हम शुरू से बुआ कहते हैं, चाहे वे रिश्ते में कुछ नहीं लगतीं।
We've called dad's friend's wife 'auntie' from the start, even though she's not actually related to us.
(paapaa ke dost kii patnii ko ham shuroo se buaa kahte hain, chaahe ve rishte men kuchh nahiin lagtiin।)
अगर वह बुआ न होतीं तो शायद हम उन्हें नाम से ही बुलाते।
If she weren't 'auntie' to us, we probably would have just called her by name.
(agar vah buaa n hotiin to shaayad ham unhen naam se hii bulaate।)
उस बुआ ने मुझे स्कूल के दिनों में बहुत सहारा दिया था।
That auntie gave me a lot of support back in my school days.
(us buaa ne mujhe skool ke dinon men bahut sahaaraa diyaa thaa।)
शायद वह बुआ हमारी शादी में भी आएँ, पापा ने उन्हें बुलाया है।
That auntie might come to our wedding too, dad has invited her.
(shaayad vah buaa hamaarii shaadii men bhii aaen, paapaa ne unhen bulaayaa hai।)
यह परंपरा है कि पापा की करीबी महिला मित्रों को बुआ कहकर बुलाया जाता है।
It's a tradition that dad's close women friends are addressed as 'auntie'.
(yah parampraa hai ki paapaa kii kariibii mahilaa mitron ko buaa kahkar bulaayaa jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बुआ
(buaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
बुआ
(buaa)
(pl.f.direct):
बुआएँ
(buaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
बुआओं
(buaaon)